The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off an impressive title run. After a historic showing in the regular season, the Thunder were presented as the favorites to win it all. However, the postseason was anything but a cakewalk.
A second-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets proved to be the Thunder's biggest challenge. It was only after being pushed to seven games that OKC emerged victorious.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Thunder are poised to run it back and repeat title success. But the Nuggets have made some impressive upgrades, too. With the potential to challenge OKC, we examine a trade proposal presented by Bleacher Report's Dan Favale that could help Denver gain the upper hand against the Thunder. Here are the details:
Proposed Trade Details
Denver Nuggets Receive: Justin Champagnie, Ayo Dosunmu
Chicago Bulls Receive: Zeke Nnaji, Peyton Watson, 2028 first-round pick swap (DEN), 2026 second-round pick (DAL/OKC/PHI/WAS)
Washington Wizards Receive: 2032 second-round pick (DEN)
Favale's trade package primarily caters to the Nuggets and the Bulls, with the Washington Wizards effectively acting as a facilitator. By sending Justin Champagnie to the Nuggets, the Wizards secure a second-round pick to aid their rebuild. In this regard, the impact on Denver and Chicago is more significant.
The Nuggets Add Reinforcements
The Denver Nuggets are already viewed as one of the top teams in the league heading into the 2025-26 season. With some significant additions to their roster following the Michael Porter Jr. trade, the Nuggets have only improved their overall strength and depth.
With a core featuring Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, Denver has only added talented supporting pieces such as Cam Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas this summer. But with Russell Westbrook leaving in free agency, it is evident that the team needs to shore up the point guard position.
On this note, acquiring a player like Ayo Dosunmu could be considered valuable. The young Bulls guard has shown impressive upside as a ball-handling guard with court vision. He possesses a keen ability while driving and finishing around the basket, although his overall scoring ability is still limited to shooting within the perimeter.
Last season, he averaged 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, while shooting 49.2% overall and 32.8% from three.
While his offensive contributions are noteworthy, Dosunmu also positions himself as a capable defensive guard. By combining his instincts and long wingspan with his hustle and energy, the 25-year-old acts as a useful rotation piece off the bench.
In the Nuggets' rotation, Dosunmu may not receive significant playing time, primarily due to Bruce Brown's signing this offseason. But considering the need for depth when facing a team like the Thunder, having a player like Dosunmu act as insurance could have merit.
Additionally, the Nuggets also acquire a solid wing piece in the form of Justin Champagnie. Favale notes that the forward wouldn't receive much playing time in Washington following their offseason roster moves. But this could be an opportunity for him to carve out a place for himself in Denver's rotation.
The 24-year-old has showcased solid scoring upside. Last season, he averaged 8.8 points and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting 51.1% from the field and 38.3% from three-point range. While acting as a versatile offensive threat, Champagnie is also a capable defender, as he logged 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game last season.
The forward has been adept as a rebounding and interior scoring presence, a similar role to Gordon's, albeit on a budget. While it is unlikely for him to be Gordon's immediate replacement in the rotation, his positional flexibility would make him an asset regardless.
The Bulls Add Frontcourt Depth
This deal doesn't seem to have a lot of merit for the Bulls at first glance. But there may still be some hidden benefits. With the acquisition of Zeke Nnaji and Peyton Watson, along with valuable draft capital (a 2028 first-round pick swap and a 2026 second-round pick), Chicago can continue with its rebuild.
Nnaji's addition is largely neutral in the overall scheme of things. Favale notes that taking on the remaining three years of his contract could prove to be difficult. But the forward may still have some value.
Nnaji hasn't received much playing time in Denver's rotation as of late. Although he showcased developmental upside early in his career, the recent outings have seen a significant drop-off in production.
With an average of 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game last season, the 24-year-old doesn't seem to be an impressive addition. But depending on Chicago's rotation, and if he can receive more playing time, Nnaji could see an uptick in performance.
In this regard, Watson's acquisition is far more significant. With Dosunmu headed out of Chicago in this scenario, the Bulls could benefit from acquiring a defender with passing upside.
Watson's potential has been weighed by the Nuggets. With an increased role in the rotation last season, the 24-year-old showcased improved performances, with an average of 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game.
The 6'8" forward possesses positional flexibility and two-way potential. Although the Bulls may hesitate to sign him long-term, considering his contract expires after the 2025-26 season, Chicago may see merit in taking a risk and developing him as a future defensive anchor.
The Nuggets Should Do This Trade
This trade has a lot of benefits for the Nuggets. When considering the outgoing assets, Denver would be bringing in more productive pieces in exchange, effectively increasing their roster's strength in the process. Overall, this trade has significant upside.
The question is whether this alters Denver's chances of challenging the Thunder next season. Realistically, this trade doesn't move the needle much.
In the playoffs last year, the Nuggets showed that they had all the pieces in place to overwhelm OKC. Pushing them to seven games would not have been possible without such potential.
While this doesn't downplay the Thunder's strength and ability, it merely states that Denver has what it takes to take them on. The upgrades this summer are primarily to shore up the roster depth.
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